Adventures In Blonding Part Deux

For those of you just joining us, this is a follow-up of Adventures In Blonding, so take a gander at that first, so you're not lost.

...And the journey continues! So Stephanie tackled the beast again.

It has been six weeks since our first adventure together and this time we got my hair even blonder! And I'm so in love!

This time around, we had to fight against every blonde's arch nemesis, Roots! So we started there, since that hair is the darkest and needs the most time to process. We applied lightener all over my regrowth area (AKA Roots) first.

Photos: Lightener on regrowth (roots); Lightener all over

Then we pulled a more gentle lightener through the rest of my hair to get it even lighter. 

And then we waited, and waited...

And waited.

Finally, we rinse!

Photos: Hair after rinsing; Hair with toner on

Again, we have some not-so-lovely highlighter yellow hair. For that, we call in every blonde's handy-dandy sidekick, Toner! Remember him? Toner is what neutralizes unwanted tones using complementary colors on the color wheel. It is also something that is custom to each person. So remember kids, don't try this at home! You could easily turn your hair green! EW!

Photos: After! All work done by Stephanie Pion!

After styling and a much needed trim, Voila! Its gorgeous!

Photo: Olaplex!

This whole process would not have been possible without Olaplex. Olaplex is a bond multiplier used to prevent damage or breakage caused by lighteners. It is an added on service that take almost no extra time and is a complete life saver!

Photos: The whole enchilada!

Thanks again Stephanie!

Want To See More?

For Adventures In Blonding Part One

For my Beachy Wave Tutorial

For Confessions Of A Hairstylist's Bad Day

Are You Washing Your Hair Too Much?

Growing up, I thought that everyone washed their hair everyday because that's what my family did. As I got older, I found out that that's not necessarily the case. Washing my hair less is something that I struggled with for a long time and it took me years to get myself and my baby-fine hair trained to where it is now. That's right, training! I know what you must be thinking:

"My hair is super oily!"

"I just feel dirty!"

"But I work out!"

Well I have a solution for all of that and some excellent tricks to break you of your excessive washing ways.

Everyone should be washing their hair no more than two times a week. For some of you, that may sound absolutely ludicrous! But hey, we really don't need to be washing that often. Why you ask? Our natural oils are there for a reason, to hydrate and moisturizer our scalp and hair follicles. 

For my ladies with overly oily hair: 

Your hair is oily because you wash it. I know it sounds completely backwards, but I promise it makes sense. Every time you wash your hair, you are stripping it of its natural oils. Then your scalp thinks, "Hey! Where's all the oil? Oh well, I'll just make more!" Your body only makes what it thinks it needs. 

How To Get Started:

1. Start by skipping a day of washing. Once your scalp gets used to that, skip another. Remember, dry shampoo is your friend!

2. Discover new, fun things to do with your hair that help mask your potentially oily scalp.

Braids

Top knot

Sock bun

3. If it's really oily, put a hat on it!

4. Maybe you're a gym rat or you do hot yoga. Well, sweat doesn't equal dirty or oily, but you can always rinse your hair out and massage your scalp, like you are washing it without shampoo.

5. Get yourself on a schedule. Here's mine:

Monday- Wash and Air Dry

Tuesday- Curl It

Wednesday- Sock Bun

Thursday- Wash and Air Dry

Friday- Curl It

Saturday- Hat

Sunday- Sock Bun

Some Benefits to washing less:

- Hair and scalp aren't as dry!

- Use less shampoo and conditioner!

- Save yourself time getting ready in the morning!

Remember, it may take some time for your scalp to adjust and your oil production to slow down, but I promise you wont regret it!

The Importance of Buying Professional Hair Products (From A Salon)

A huge part of my job as a stylist is, not only to provide amazing services to my clients, but to educate them on their hair health. The best way to maintain the health of your hair is to use high quality product and here's why.

One of the first questions I ask a new client is, "What is the biggest challenge with your hair?" I usually hear that it is dry, it won't grow, the color fades fast, etc. The second question I ask is, "What products are you using?" When I hear that someone is using a brand from the drugstore, I ask if they are getting the results they want and is it taking care of those challenges? The answer is usually a resounding "No." Solution? Better products! Professional products!

Side Note:The funniest thing I see on drugstore products, are outrages claims like "Reduces breakage up to 97%" or "Repairs up to 2 years of damage." And all for $8.99. Really? If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

Protect Your Investment- If you are investing good money in your hair by getting regular haircuts and color services, then you probably want it to last. The only way to guarantee that is to buy professional products.

More Bang For Your Buck- Professional products are highly concentrated, meaning you have to use less product in your hair to achieve the results you want. Sometimes if you weigh out how much product you are using versus how much money you are spending, buying professional products can sometimes cost the same as drugstore products.

Sulfate and Paraben Free- Sure, you can find drugstore products that say "Sulfate Free" or "Paraben Free", but companies can still put a certain amount of sulfates and parabens into their products while still saying they are sulfate and paraben free. You are more likely to find professional products that are truly free of sulfates and parabens. 

Environmentally Conscious- A lot of professional lines have become super aware of their carbon footprint and have restructured their values based on their consumer's values. You can find so many professional brands that don't do testing on animals and use less plastic in their packaging. Some companies are PETA approved and are even working on being completely bio-degradable within a year of hitting the landfill. So cool!

"But I Can Buy It On Amazon."- When you buy professional products from anywhere other than a salon or authorized retailer, you run the risk of buying a product that has been tampered with, or is old. Sometimes, salons go out of business and sell off their old back stock, or there may even be Suave in that bottle of Paul Mitchell. There is no quality control and there's a reason it is so cheap.

"But I Can Buy It At Beauty Brands Or Sephora."- All I can say is "Support you local businesses!" Give your dollar to a family owned business instead of a corporation. Plus, it usually costs the same. 

Next time you are at the grocery store and you have that bottle of product in your hands, I hope these tips resonate in your head. Make the choice to buy local and buy from a professional. You won't regret it!

How To Find A Hairstylist

For most people, finding the right hairstylist can be more challenging than it ought to be. How are you going to find that stylist that not only has the skills and talent to make a masterpiece of your mane, but also a stylist that just seems to get you? You require someone who understands what you need and want, even if you don’t. It might be optimistic to find the perfect stylist complete with magic hair taming powers, but here are some tips and tools to finding a great stylist none the less.

How I Feel About Yelp

I hate to start off with a negative, but I want to get this first one out of the way. Yelp can definitely help in finding out some pros and cons about certain businesses, but there are some reasons why I would refrain from using Yelp. One reason is, it might help you find a great salon, but it might not help you find a stylist. Secondly, Yelp screens their reviews. They pick and choose which reviews they want to feature, and some can be years old and irrelevant to their current service. The biggest reason I don’t suggest using Yelp too much, is that most of the time people are reviewing a business is to report something negative, which doesn't necessarily give you an accurate depiction of the business. If you are going to use Yelp, I suggest sorting the "Recommended Reviews" by date and also checking out the reviews not recommended at the bottom of the page.

Ask Someone

The absolute best way to find a good stylist is by a referral. Whether it's from someone you know or just from asking a stranger in the grocery store, find someone whose hair you admire and just ask them who makes their hair so magical. A plus to this strategy is that you will probably make someone’s day and maybe even a new best friend.

But what if you're new to town or too shy to ask?

StyleSeat

There is a lovely little website called StyleSeat.com that some stylists use for a variety of reasons. One of them being, to find new clients. Granted, not every stylist is using this website, however, there are tons of great stylists on this site waiting to be discovered by you. My suggestion is to go on the site, search for your city or area and check out the stylists with great recommendations and call. They might not have a ton of availability, but that means they're probably good if they're busy.

6 Hair Washing Tips to Healthier Hair

Ever have the problem where you run out of conditioner, but still have half of a bottle of shampoo left? Or are the ends of your hair super dry, even though you're using the most hydrating (and probably expensive) conditioner out there? Well folks, the answer might be as simple as; you're not washing your hair the right way. 

Here are six things you can do in the shower to increase the longevity and power of your shampoo and conditioner. 

1. Water, Water, Water

When you are shampooing your lustrous locks, you need to have your hair completely saturated. If it isn't lathering well, dunk your head under the water real quick before you add more shampoo. This goes especially for professional shampoos because they are more concentrated compared to your drugstore brands. 

2. Shampoo Only Your Scalp

Your scalp is where most of your natural oils are built up and the only area of your hair that needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. Unless your ends are actually dirty or have product build up, for whatever reason, then don't actually shampoo them on a regular basis. You don't want to dry them out!

3. Wring Out Your Hair Before Applying Conditioner (Or Towel Dry It If You're Really Hardcore)

Unlike water-loving shampoo, you get better results from conditioner if you remove excess water before applying it. You can use way less conditioner this way (solving your shampoo to conditioner ratio issues) and your conditioner can actually penetrate into your hair instead of running down the drain.

4. Concentrate Your Conditioner On Your Ends

The hair closest to your scalp gets the pleasure of receiving its moisture from your natural oils and doesn't need conditioner on a regular basis (or at all). Meanwhile, the mid-shaft and ends of your hair are the oldest, and therefore, the driest and in desperate need of some TLC in the form of conditioner. Also, your hair will be less oily at the end of the day if you don’t put conditioner on your roots. 

5. Leave Your Conditioner In Longer

If you want your conditioner to work its magic, then you have to give it a little time.

Hint: If you start your shower routine with washing your hair, then it gives you plenty of time to do your other rituals (shaving, brushing your teeth, washing your body, etc.) while letting your conditioner sit.

6. Rinse Your Conditioner Out With Cool Water

Easier said than done, I know, but this closes down the cuticle (outer layer of hair) creating less frizz, more shine, and healthier hair.

I hope this has been informative, but most of all, I hope your hair looks amazing!

Leave a comment, let me know what you think and ask me some hair questions.